6 Lessons We Learned From The Action At ONE: DAWN OF HEROES
After 14 bouts of top-class martial arts action at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES, fans streamed out of the Mall Of Asia Arena having witnessed a few slices of history on Friday, 2 August.
On the biggest night of martial arts in the history of the Philippines, Manila played host to some shocking results, a few iconic battles, and the coronation of a new World Champion.
There is so much to unpack following this breathtaking evening of action, but for your convenience, these are the six biggest lessons to take away.
#1 Martin Nguyen Is The Greatest Featherweight In ONE History
With his third ONE Featherweight World Title defense, Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen stands above the rest in his division.
No man can match his incredible run in the weight class. Since he was defeated by Marat ”Cobra” Gafurov – as a rookie who came in on short notice – in September 2015, he has been untouchable.
He was won eight consecutive featherweight contests, and only one has gone the distance.
The Vietnamese-Australian proved his greatness once again by shutting down the wrestling of Koyomi ”Moushigo” Matsushima and then knocking him out with a salvo of power punches in the second round.
It will take something, or someone, truly special to knock him off his perch.
#2 There Is No Escape From Rodtang’s Power
Jonathan “The General” Haggerty did a great job of frustrating Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon in the opening stages of their ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title contest by keeping him at bay.
However, by the third round, the 22-year-old Thai superstar found a way to get past the Englishman’s range to unleash his devastating leg kicks and hooks.
In the fourth, the man from Bangkok continued his assault and finally connected cleanly on the button to drop his opponent and earn the 10-8 round that gave him the edge on the judges’ scorecards.
If anyone wants to defeat the new World Champion, they will have to find a way to stop him before he unleashes his best weapons.
#3 That Is Why Eddie Alvarez Is A Legend
For a moment, it looked like Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez was about to experience his second defeat in The Home Of Martial Arts, but then his warrior spirit emerged.
The American was dropped and then almost overwhelmed by Eduard “Landslide” Folayang‘s ground and pound. But somehow, the four-time Lightweight mixed martial arts World Champion found the strength to sweep his rival and submit him just moments later.
Another loss would have been disastrous for Alvarez, but now he will be full of confidence ahead of his ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix final bout with Saygid “Dagi” Guseyn Arslanaliev at ONE: CENTURY on 13 October in Tokyo, Japan.
If he can defeat the Turkish juggernaut, he will add another accolade to his glittering résumé.
#4 Danny Kingad Is ONE’s Ultimate Action Hero
No matter who he goes up against, Danny “The King” Kingad will be in the running for the bout of the night whenever he competes.
The Filipino’s match against Reece “Lightning” McLaren reached his usual high standard, and also featured a dynamic that helps to make things that much more thrilling – a comeback.
Although the Australian was very impressive with his grappling early on, his rival from Team Lakay was always trying to recover, which made for a fantastic ground battle.
Kingad then delivered an onslaught of offense in the closing stages to take two of the three judges’ scorecards, clinch a split decision, and book a date with Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix final.
That is another bout you can almost guarantee will create fireworks.
#5 Rodlek Only Needs One Shot
After coming in on less than two weeks’ notice, Andrew “Maddog Fairtex” Miller needed to execute a perfect game plan to take out Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym, and he almost managed it.
Unfortunately for the Scotsman – who controlled the range well for two and a half rounds – one perfectly-placed power punch finished him off when victory was within his grasp.
The Channel 7 Muay Thai World Champion has some of the heaviest hands in the ONE Super Series bantamweight division, and in 4-ounce gloves, he is capable of finishing anyone with a single shot.
Rodlek will look to prove that once again in his next outing.
#6 Dae Sung Park Is The Real Deal
ONE Warrior Series contract winner “Crazy Dog” Dae Sung Park proved he was ready for the global stage with a pair of wins in his first two bouts on the main ONE roster.
At ONE: DAWN OF HEROES, he showed he could be a major player by beating a former ONE World Champion.
Even though the rising South Korean star had to face Honorio “The Rock” Banario on the Filipino’s home turf, Park looked unflustered by the occasion.
He took charge with powerful striking early on, and then he refused to be shaken when the Team Lakay star tried to rescue the match. In the end, Park earned a clear victory by unanimous decision.
The lightweight division is stacked, so it may be a while before “Crazy Dog” gets all the way to the top. However, he is on the right track.
